Za'atar Manakeesh

You already know that I have a special place in my heart for flatbreads. Manakeesh is one of them. It is a popular Levantine (referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean) flatbread typically eaten for breakfast. Delicious and crispy homemade dough is topped with a za'atar and olive oil (there is another version with cheese, and it's about to come). The traditional shape of this pita is round but I decided to open the dough a little different. If you want the classic shape simply roll the balls to a thin pita, using a rolling pin.

Enjoy it with Labaneh cheese and fresh sliced vegetables.

Ingredients:

For the dough-

400 gr white flour

100 gr whole wheat flour

325 ml water

20 ml olive oil

15 gr dry yeast

10 gr salt

For the topping-

Za'atar

Olive oil

Salt

Preparation steps:

- In a bowl mix the water and yeast.

- Add both flours and olive oil and mix well.

- Once all the ingredients incorporated into the dough, keep kneading on a working surface for another 2-3 min.

- Then add the salt. Keep kneading for another 3-4 min or until the dough is elastic and beautiful.

- Round the dough, place in a greased bowl, covered with a towel until double in size.

- Punch the dough and divide it into 150 gr pieces.

- Round each piece to a tight ball and cover with a towel to rest for 10-15 min.

- Preheat the oven to 440F or 230C.

- Prepare the topping spread by mixing Za'atar and olive oil until you get a thick paste.

- On a floured surface, open each ball to a pita sheet by pressing it with your fingers.

- Spread the Za'atar topping on top. Using a fork- make holes where the topping is. It will avoid the Manakeesh to expand like a balloon in the oven.

- Bake the Manakeesh for 7-10 min.

- Eat immediately.

- YASSS.

BenGingi.